Dustin’s Story: When someone asks me what drew me to make farming my primary occupation, it usually comes down to three things: The pace of life, the joy of working outdoors and the appreciation of really good food.  I have been a seasonal farm laborer for six growing seasons on several different farms.  Before farming I worked many jobs that filled my need for a livelihood but were always lacking something, like fresh air or physical activity or happy co-workers.  Now, I get to start a farm venture on good soil in a beautiful location without having to leave the farming community that taught me everything I know.  I look forward to passing on my knowledge and passion in the years to come.

Plan for this year and beyond: I’m currently reclaiming a farm that hasn’t been in production for eight years. I’ve cleared a few acres of blackberries and have been repairing older implements that were consumed by the blackberries. I’ve just finished putting up the greenhouse and have been building benches using reclaimed materials. This year I will be establishing markets, learning the soil and solving many yet unseen problems.  Annuals will be the focus, with tomatoes, onions, melons, corn and flowers all getting signifigant field allocations among the six or so acres in production.  In the future I see many additional acres of orchard perrenials; apples, walnuts, figs, pears, kiwis and hops to name a few.